Spring 2014 Camping
Date: Friday, May 2, 2014 6pm – Sunday, May 4, 2014 12pm
Location: Little Basin, Boulder Creek, Santa Cruz County, CA
Little Basin is a unique camping destination that features open grassy meadows, acres of dense redwood forest, and miles of hiking trails as well as two sports fields, a tennis court, a basketball court, a sand volleyball court, a children’s playground, and more.
The cost is $15 per person per night (i.e. 1 Adult and 1 scout staying two nights = $60). Cost covers the site, food, some activities, belt loops, and patches. If you decide to stay less than the two nights, please indicate on the Evite comments which night you are staying. Payment needs to be submitted by April 11th 6pm.
Click here for a packing checklist that should help with bringing everything that you will need.
We still need help with food preparation and also need large trucks that could haul large items to the camp site. Please contact Ashok Sharma if you'd like to help.
Yosemite Camping Trip Recap
Pack 1776 Families:
This year our Pack headed to Yosemite for our summer camping trip. We stayed two nights at the Tuolumne Meadows campground. The campground is located on the Tioga Road in the east side of the park.
On our first day at the park we visited Soda Springs. The Springs are located an easy hike away from the campground. The Scouts crowded around to watch the water slowly bubble out of the ground. On the hike back to camp a couple Scouts dipped their feet (and other parts) into the Tuolumne River.
That night there was a camp-hosted campfire for the Scouts, another campfire where the Scouts learned about owls, and a late night of star watching for those that could stay up past 9:30 p.m. They also learned about a Coyote sound so they could be prepared if anything went wrong. Late in the night, some campers heard a bear near our campsite. Nothing went missing from our site as all our food was securely stored in the bear boxes provided by the park. There were lots of gorgeous motorhomes and a lot of people had RV's and it made me really want to buy one! I don't think I could ever afford to buy one outright but RV Rental is certainly an option for the future. There's something exciting about sleeping in a tent but camping out in an RV would be so luxurious. Something that I'm definitely not used to when I go on camping trips! Luxury and tents are two words that never go together!! I was told that if you do a lot of traveling with your RV then it might be a good idea to make sure that your RV battery is properly fitted/charged. Some fellow camper also reccomended that if I wanted to get a Motorhome, it would be important to use a reliable insurance firm. If you are travelling around the country in a camper, be sure to check out One Sure Insurance for information on the benefits of ensuring a camper!
On Sunday the Pack took a hike to the top of Lembert Dome. It was a steep, but short, hike. We took the hike with a Ranger who stopped from time to time and told the Scouts about the history of Yosemite. By the time we made it to the top of the dome we had climbed over 600 feet to an altitude of 8,800 feet. The views were spectacular!
Sunday afternoon was free time. Some Scouts went fishing (no luck!), others took in a park lecture or went swimming in the river. The water was crystal clear, not too cold and there was even a natural "water slide" the Scouts could use. The Tuolumne River feeds into the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir.
The campsite had another campfire and lecture on Sunday night. Some Scouts stayed at our campsite and recovered from a day of fun. Once everyone was back at the campsite we all had s'mores.
Monday morning we packed up our gear, cleaned our campsite and headed home. Everyone had a lot of fun, learned about Yosemite, and became more responsible Scouts. Please try to join us the next time our Pack goes camping.
Pack 1776 Committee
Pack 1776 Summer Camping – Yosemite
Pack 1776 Families,
Come join us for some summer camping in Yosemite National Park!!
Tuolumne Meadows, at an elevation of 8,600 feet, is the largest sub-alpine meadow in the Sierra Nevada. The Tuolumne Meadows area is graced by the winding Tuolumne River and surrounded by majestic peaks and domes. Spectacular in summer, the higher meadows abound with wildflowers, animal wildlife, and views of the soaring mountain ranges. There will be incredible hiking, fishing (bring your own pole) and ranger activities on top of the usual pack camping activities.
The campground has real bathrooms but no showers and the average high temperature in August is 77° and the average low is 48°.
More info:
Bear and Food storage info: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/bears.htm and http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/lockers.htm
Hike info: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tmhikes.htm
Area map: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/upload/tmhikes08.pdf
The cost is minimal - $15 per person for each night staying (i.e. 1 Adult, 1 scout staying two nights = $60) which covers the site, food, and some activities, belt loops and patches. If you decide to stay less than the two nights, please indicate in the comments which night you are staying.
We also encourage all families to bring their own reusable dining sets for meal times to reduce our trash and our Pack footprint.
Payment MUST be received BY July 12 to secure your spots! This is to allow for proper planning and selection of helpers. No excuses please. A standard policy of No Refunds applies. We were only able to get one group site for two nights this year so we are limited to amaximum of 30 campers and parking for 5 vehicles so get your payment in early to reserve your spot.
Please send (or drop off) checks payable to PACK 1776 (see Scout track for my address).
Please feel free to contact me with questions via email.
Scott Spears
Camping Chair
[email protected]
Spring Camping – Del Valle
Pack 1776 Families,
Come join us for some spring camping at beautiful Del Valle Regional Park!!
Del Valle Regional Park, part of the East Bay Regional Park District, is located in a valley framed by oak-covered hills. The centerpiece of the park is a five-mile long lake, with all kinds of water-oriented recreation, surrounded by 4,316 acres of beautiful land for hiking, fishing, horseback riding, and nature study. Del Valle is also the eastern gateway to the Ohlone Wilderness Trail, 28 miles of scenic back country trail. The campground has ample bathrooms and showers and the average high temperature in April is 71° and the average low is 46°.
More info:
Park website: http://www.ebparks.org/parks/del_valle
Park map: http://www.ebparks.org/Assets/_Nav_Categories/Parks/Maps/Del+Valle+map.pdf
The cost is minimal and reduced from past trips - $10 per person for each night staying (i.e. 1 Adult, 1 scout staying two nights = $40) which covers the site, food, and all activities, belt loops and patches. If you decide to stay less than the two nights, please let us know which night you are staying.
We also encourage all families to bring their own reusable dining sets for meal times to reduce our trash and our Pack footprint.
Payment MUST be received BY April 1 to secure your spots! This is to allow for proper planning and selection of helpers. No excuses please. A standard policy of No Refunds applies. We are limited to 50 campers for this trip so get your payment in early to reserve your spot.
Please send (or drop off) checks payable to PACK 1776.
Please feel free to contact me with questions via email.
Scott Spears
Camping Chair
Spring 2013 Camping – SAVE THE DATES!
Date: Friday, April 19, 2012 2:00pm – Sunday, April 21, 2012 12:00pm
Location: Del Valle Regional Park, Livermore, CA
SAVE THE DATES!! Del Valle Regional Park, part of the East Bay Regional Park District, is located in a valley framed by oak-covered hills. The centerpiece of the park is a five-mile long lake, with all kinds of water-oriented recreation, surrounded by 4,316 acres of beautiful land for hiking, fishing, horseback riding, and nature study. Del Valle is also the eastern gateway to the Ohlone Wilderness Trail, 28 miles of scenic back country trail. The campground has ample bathrooms and showers and the average high temperature in April is 71° and the average low is 46°.
More info:
Park website: http://www.ebparks.org/parks/del_valle
Park map: http://www.ebparks.org/Assets/_Nav_Categories/Parks/Maps/Del+Valle+map.pdf
Details will follow in an Evite in March and will be posted here. We have one group site and the maximum number of campers is 50 with parking for 15 vehicles. Stay tuned.
Scott Spears
Camping Chair
Summer Camping 2012 Re-cap
The summer camping trip at beautiful Sugar Pine Point State Park at Lake Tahoe was a tremendous success last weekend. Whilst I'm definitely more likely to want to stay at one of the many Lake Tahoe California Hotels for my next visit, camping really wasn't as bad as I had expected.
After battling traffic, most campers made it to the campsite in the evening and got their tents before sunset. We had a great fire, some campfire stories, smores and a chance to looking at the amazing stars (a few falling) under the clear, warm summer sky. A recurring theme from those stories was the pros and cons of a motorhome vs RV vs caravan. Regardless, we all agreed that a comprehensive insurance was essential; more so the add-ons offered by your insurance partner. For instance, if you were to choose Staveley Head as your insurance partner of choice, you also get motorhome breakdown insurance as part of the add-on options to your standard motorhome cover.
We woke up Saturday to the smell of pancakes, eggs and coffee. The scouts again received their own scout-approved mess kits to keep. We did an opening flag ceremony and then went into our first activity of the day, the Soccer belt loop. After some instruction on dribbling, shooting and passing, the kids went into an exciting 6 vs. 6 game that was a nail biter to the end with the winning goal scored on a last second penalty kick by Rohan. After lunch, we headed off on a hike that took us along the old 1960 Squaw Valley Winter Olympic Cross Country Ski route and ended up at beautiful Lake Tahoe right next to the spectacular Historic Erhman Mansion (we all decided it would make a great summer home for us :)). After a hike in hot sun, the cool water of the lake was just what we needed. The Scouts had a great time wading around near the shore and skipping rocks. After a short hike back to camp, we spent some free time playing frisbee, volleyball and new chase game introduced by some of the new campers. Foil cooking was up next for dinner and, as an added treat, foil banana boats (with marshmallows, chocolate and butterscotch chips all melted together) for desert. I think for our next camping trip we should more than likely look at finding ourselves a stormkök so we're able to cook and clean up better, and so we don't use loads of foil too! We finished off the night with a touching flag retirement ceremony around the campfire and then some music by resident musician, Cubmaster Pluth.
The next morning, we had a light breakfast, packed up our gear, did our traditional "leave no trace" sweep of the campsite, and headed on our way.
It was wonderful to see so many new campers out there this trip and I want to thank everyone for making this another successful Pack 1776 camping trip!
Camping Chair
Scott Spears
Summer 2012 Camping – SAVE THE DATES!
Date: Friday, August 10, 2012 2:00pm – Monday, August 13, 2012 12:00pm
Location: Sugar Pine Point State Park, Lake Tahoe
SAVE THE DATES!! Sugar Pine Point State Park contains one of the finest remaining natural areas on Lake Tahoe. With nearly two miles of lake frontage, the park has dense forests of pine, fir, aspen and cedar. Deep-line anglers fish the lake's 300-foot deep underwater ledges for trout and salmon. Another attraction is the museum in the Hellman-Ehrman Mansion (also known as Pine Lodge), a summer home built in 1903 in a grove of pine and cedar. Lake Tahoe, at 6,229 feet above sea level, is known for its great depth and clear, exquisitely blue waters. The campground has ample bathrooms and showers and the average high temperature in August is 77° and the average low is 45°.
More info:
Park brochure: http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/510/files/SugarPine_brochure.pdf
Park Map: http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/510/files/SugarPinePoint_map.pdf
Details will follow in an Evite and will be posted here. We have one group site and the maximum number of campers is 40 so be sure to sign up early. Stay tuned.
SAVE THE DATES!!
Scott Spears
Camping Chair
Pack 1776 Spring Camping
Pack 1776 Families,
Come join us for some spring camping at beautiful New Brighton Beach State Park!!
The campground is located about one mile from downtown Capitola and is a short walk to a half mile long beach backed by bluffs that offer amazing ocean views and is forested with cypress and Monterey pine. Raccoons, deer and other animals inhabit this wooded upland as well as the park’s grassy coastal terrace where the campground and picnic area are situated. Migrating monarch butterflies winter in the park’s groves. The campground has ample bathrooms and showers and the average high temperature in May is 72° and the average low is 49°.
As always, the cost is minimal - $15/person/night which covers the site, food, and all activities. If you decide to stay only one night, please let us know which night you are staying.
** All scouts who sign up will receive their very own mess kit to use during the trip and to keep as their own **
We also highly encourage all other family members to bring their own reusable dining sets for meal times to reduce our trash and our Pack footprint.
Payment MUST be received BY May 1st to secure your spots! This is to allow for proper planning and selection of helpers. No excuses please. A standard policy of No Refunds applies. We are limited to 33 campers for this trip so get your payment in early.
Please feel free to contact me with questions via email.
Scott Spears
Camping Chair
[email protected]
Fall Camping 2011 Re-cap
The Fall camping event at Historic Camp Herms turned out to be a great success and everyone had a great time!! We camped in the Redwood Grove area surrounding by Giant Redwood trees which also help provide some cover for the rain that came Friday night. Luckily, most people had their tents up in time to take cover and the rain didn’t go on too long.
We woke up Saturday and had good weather for our opening flag ceremony and breakfast where the scouts received their very own mess kits to use, clean and keep. We then had a fun filled day that included many belt loops, including Kickball led by me, Photography (every scout got their own disposable camera!) led by Harry Beck, Hiking lead by Bernard Kiriakos and the Marble belt loop lead by Ammy Pluth. We also had the Lower Field reserved nearby where the scouts had free time to play soccer, football and the always popular stick battles which included the conquering of a nearby hill.
After dinner, John Pluth led a touching flag retirement ceremony where the Webelos assisted in retiring a donated flag. John then led everyone in singing techniques and great traditional and holiday songs which allowed the scouts to get their final belt loop - Music. For those who are counting that was five belt loops this trip! We ended the night with a large campfire, great stories by the parents and kids and lots and lots of smores.
The following morning, we wrapped up the trip with breakfast and a closing flag ceremony. A BIG thank you to everyone who helped make the Fall Camping 2011 trip a great success!!
Camping Chair
Scott Spears
p.s. If you would like to bring your developed pictures from the disposable cameras to the next pack meeting, Ammy Pluth will put them up for the Pack to see.
Webeloree Recap
2011 Webeloree, October 1 – 2
Webelos from Pack 1776 had a great weekend at historic Camp Herms in the El Cerrito hills. Everything was well organized, well staffed, and packed full of fun.
The Webelos started Saturday morning by setting up their tents in the lower field. The scouts did the majority of the set up with very minimal help from the adults. They all did a fine job.
After the opening flag ceremony and rousing songs, our Pack started the morning at the Forester Unit. Mr. Harrison, from Boy Scout Troop #24, taught the scouts about tree growth rings, the five layers of a forest, 6 forest trees, 6 forest plants, how water/minerals/sun help, and about the harm/benefits of wildfires.
Our group then moved onto the Outdoorsman Unit. Boy Scouts from Troop # 24 used a skit format to thoroughly go over every point about the Leave No Trace Frontcountry Guidelines (plan ahead, stick to trails, manage your pet, leave what you find, respect other visitors, trash your trash). The Webelos also learned about the rules of outdoor fire safety and practiced how to fuse and whip the ends of a rope. Here they used the rope they fused to make a paracord bracelet with a side release buckle. We ended this unit by making our foil dinner with chicken, potatoes, and vegetables.
Then we gathered under the beautiful redwoods and had a picnic with our bagged lunch. The scouts played and the adults relaxed.
At the signal, we moved on to the Geologist Unit, led by Geologist Michael L. and Boy Scouts from Troop # 100. This was a well prepared, hands on unit. They touched real fossils, learned the four different ways mountains are formed, examined minerals in various uses and geologic materials used in home building, and talked with geologist Michael L. about the rocks found at Camp Herm and geology mapping of the area. (Very interesting stuff!) Before leaving this unit, the scouts received a special rock as a memento.
The final station they visited on Saturday was led by biologist, Mr. Dekloe, from Troop 864. Here the Webelos earned their Naturalist pin by learning about an ecosystem, an aquadic ecosystem & wetland, flyways near our area, dangers of litter, and poisonous plants & animals. We also went on a short hike and learned about non-native plants, how some plants use nitrogen in the soil, what poison oak looks like and why we should avoid it, stinging nettle, poisonous hemlock, poppy seed disbursement, and the difference in pine cones.
After our closing flag ceremony, we ate our delicious foil dinner of chicken, vegetables, and potatoes. The evening was capped off with two different shows. We first visited the amazing AstroWizard, Mr. Rodrigues, who educated the scouts on space and science related topics using pictures, props, bubbles, telescope, and exciting explosions. And finally, a well run campfire program led by Boy Scout Troop #127 entertained the entire camp audience with fun songs and funny skits.
Next year’s Webeloree is planned at Camp Herms for October 6-7, 2012. So, mark your calendars and save the date.
The following scouts earned their Forester, Outdoorsman, Geologist, and Naturalist Pins:
Andrew K, Ben R, Dylan W, Ethan M, Hayden C, Jack P, Raymond F, Umesh N, Warren H
